Unforgettable
by DemonSaya
Summary: Memories gone and stranded in Aboveground, Jareth can only count on this familiar green-eyed woman who found him. A woman who has ties to the Labyrinth. However, when the Labyrinth starts eroding, Jareth must return...JarethxSarah BETA STAGE
1. Prologue: Shattered

_AN: So, I've seen eight million of these where Sarah forgets her memories of Labyrinth (which sometimes I have trouble seeing, unless it's due to some kinda trauma/brainwashing. You have to admit, it's kinda an unforgettable thing to go through...), but there are absolutely ZERO where Jareth loses HIS memories of what happened. Don't worry, it's still SarahxJareth. I'm not going to Mary Sue up my favorite fantasy movie of all time. _

_Disclaimer: Labyrinth is sole property of the Jim Henson Company, not me. I'm borrowing all the goblins and such, as well as the Goblin King for an undisclosed amount of time. I'll be returning him soon enough._

Unforgettable

By: DemonSaya

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Prologue

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Shattered

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Give me the child...I have fought my way here, to the castle beyond the Goblin City. For my will is as strong as yours, and my Kingdom as great._

_You have no power over me._

Jareth awoke with a start, sweating, his face pale, his hands shaking. It had been years. Almost twelve to be exact, since those events took place. He forced himself to his feet, staggering away from his sweat-soaked bed, moving towards the window where he could see the sun rise over his domain, telling himself that it was just a dream. Just a stupid dream.

Unfortunately, the dream was also a memory of a time when he'd developed a strong affection for the girl who had cast him aside in favor of a screaming baby. He could still remember the amazed look on her face when she spoke those words, as if she'd only just then understood that he stood powerless against her. He trembled under her innocent gaze, an innocence he had never seen before and would likely never understand.

An innocence beyond that of most mortals.

It would not have been an exaggeration to say that he had fallen in love with that spirit, that creative, imaginative, fiery spirit. Passion, determination, so much wrapped up in the small body of a fifteen year old, who stood on the cusp of womanhood. And what a woman she would have become. She could have bloomed here, been his Queen, had her dreams, and given him his as well.

Except her attachment to that baby went deeper than he suspected, and led her unerringly to stand before him in the Escher Room. She spoke those six words that destroyed him inside. Oh, he never let the Goblins see that he was affected. He acted just as they thought he should, laughed with them, kicked them high in the air, just because he could, shouted orders around, acted as a King should over his subjects.

Even alone, he dare not brood for long, because there were always creatures watching. Only during his brief stints up in Aboveground, could he watch her, acknowledge the pain he felt inside as she grew, as she drifted away from her dreams, further into the trap known as middle-class. That was the tragedy of life aboveground, in truth. Those who reached for their dreams, struggled to survive, those who sacrificed them, could have a life, a home, and a family.

He watched, year after year, expecting, waiting, knowing that she would take her own family, a husband who would care for her, but would never love her as much as he, couldn't love her as much as he, because she was his dream. The one thing he longed for, yet could never have. After all, he could only give mortal men and women their dreams. He had no ability to achieve his own. Between being the King of the Goblins, and losing Sarah, there was naught he could do. He was trapped, had been, from birth, inside a mold of what was expected of him. The other creatures in his land could strive for their dreams, they would likely never suffer the same fate as mortals, they'd be supported by their friends and families, never told that it's foolish to dream.

He watched Toby grow up, being shoved into the mold of his fathers and it tore him apart, because both of them could have had their dreams. He would have given them both their dreams. Just to keep _her_. He closed his eyes against the garish light as it rose.

His sweat-soaked pajamas were causing his skin to chill rapidly, and he decided to change without waiting for his valet to come lay out something for him. The Goblin didn't much care what he wore, regardless, so he'd have better luck looking well put together if he did it himself, and it would get him out of these now almost slimy, silk garments. He dug through the large walk-in closet, finding something comfortable, flexible. A loose billowy shirt would do...and for bottoms...hm. Leather pants. Yes. Slightly more space than many of his other pair.

He lay the clothes over the chaise near his bed and shed his clothing, tossing them into the dumbwaiter with a frustrated growl. He would have to do his best acting today. He couldn't do less than that. They would think he was weak to be mooning after something as silly as a mortal woman. But his dream had shaken him. He was not naive or foolish enough to believe that dreams meant nothing. He should know. Ordinarily he did not dream, and when he did, something always happened.

It was like the Labyrinth was warning him.

His dreams were what he sacrificed to hold the Labyrinth together. Both his living dreams and his sleeping dreams. Oh, he could have abandoned the Underground, cast aside the mantle placed upon him, the duty of being the Goblin King. If he did not know what would happen if he did.

He stared at himself in the full-length mirror, his Fae features staring back at him, the thing that made him different from the other Goblins, the thing that set him apart to rule. When his father Aboveground cast him aside sixteen thousand years ago, he came to the Labyrinth voluntarily, the king at the time, who was a better father than his birth father had been, took one look at him and declared Jareth his son, and the future King.

Those words had sealed his fate, and the shape he took. Not a Goblin, for no Goblin could ever feed brilliant enough dreams to the Labyrinth. No, only a child with a brilliant imagination is made one of the Fae, the leading power Underground, one who dreams in vivid colors, things which normally should not be. The former King had never taken a Queen. After the incident with Sarah, he realized that it was simply part of the curse of being the Goblin King. To be adored, worshiped, envied, but never truly loved.

How long had he wished for things that could never be? How long had he dreamed of a woman who could stand beside him, be his equal. A woman he could love, who could love him. Someone who was as arrogant, as willful as he, who wouldn't make it easy for him, who would make him work to earn her affection. Someone who would not throw herself at him like a whore. He'd wondered for centuries if there was such a woman, staring into his crystals, searching Above as well as Under. Then, he finds this girl, this woman-child, who is strong and fair, and his heart ached, crying out to him.

_She's the one. She's perfect. She's all you'll ever need. Just draw her in, bring her into your world. Offer her those dreams, she'll be yours forever._

But he failed. She simply didn't care for him as much as she loved that baby.

These thoughts were doing him no good. He could see the sky clouding, and knew it was because he was morose. "No, Labyrinth, a clear day. A bright day. Give me the illusion that everything will be alright." He looked back at his reflection, seeing the weary look in his eyes and tried for his trade-mark smirk. Every time he nearly had it, it slipped. He realized then that it might be hopeless.

With a frustrated sigh, he moved towards his clothes, pulling them on careful not to tear the fabric in his anger. He found his softest black calf-skin gloves and slipped them on, looking at himself in the mirror. There. He didn't feel so exposed. He felt almost back to normal.

The door opened and a sour-looking Goblin appeared, carrying a cup of tea. "Ah, Grumpypants." Jareth said, as though he didn't know the Goblin's real name was Grimymask. "A lovely morning, wouldn't you say." He took the tea, noting the irritation flash over the Goblin's face. He took a long drink of the tea, setting it down on his rather expansive vanity-table.

He noticed a moment too late that the irritation had turned to a smirk. He felt the room dip and spin and he turned towards the Goblin. He gripped the vanity as he felt his strength rapidly fading. "What did you put in the tea...?" He snarled, furious.

"Memory root."

The other voice caused him to look up sharply. The Queen of the Marshlands. Mithryl. He snarled in fury. "You..." He was losing the power to think fast. "You think you've caught the Goblin King, my dear?" He grabbed one of his crystals, holding onto the dream as carefully as possible. With a laugh, he threw it into the air, and vanished, transforming into his Owl body before a word could be spoken. The crystal hit the ground, shattering and he fled as smoke filled the room, drawing them into a dream that he knew they'd break from easily enough. He fled as more of his thoughts left him. He fled the Labyrinth, the Underground, and moments before darkness took him, a desperate wish was thrown out into the world.

A wish that took only the form of a name.

_Sarah..._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It didn't take long for her to shake off the effects of Jareth's magic. It had been a weak attempt to escape her, at best. Weak, but efficient. She underestimated Jareth's ability to resist the root. A foolish mistake. One she would not make again.

Mithryl frowned, standing, brushing her long, pale hair over her shoulder, her gray eyes surveying the damage. Her stooge was still unconscious. With a wave of her hand, she sent him to the dungeons in her Marshland Castle. After all, drugging a sovereign, even one that had fallen from power and grace, was a crime punishable by death, and she could not take the time to deal with him while she tried to discover where her dear Goblin King had escaped to.

She moved around the room, taking note of several things that would change when she was Queen of the Goblins, and then disappeared, reappearing in her own throne room. It was pale green marble with shoots of dark brown, and her throne was elegant, sleek. Her kingdom was, in a word, bright, beautiful. Nothing like that horrid Goblin Kingdom, which had a curiously beautiful King, while the rest of it seemed to lay in squalor.

She paced across the ground, towards her throne, her long, dark green velvet gown rustling across the floor behind her. She dropped into it, frowning faintly. Without his memories, he couldn't get far. But that that curious tremble in the earth troubled her. It was as though a vital part was missing, and it was about to break. Which, of course was ridiculous. Nothing had changed from that morning.

She shook off the minor concern, turning her thoughts towards Jareth. The Memory Root would create a thick veil over his mind, completely concealing all of his memories from birth. Which was fine. She would be happy to fill him in on his title, show him his Kingdom (with a few special modifications, of course), and tell him about how he loved her more than life. Definitely more than that horrid little human girl.

That girl, who'd ruined...everything.

She humphed, arranging her skirts in a more dramatic fashion, lifting her face as a dwarf entered her audience chamber, and put her other thoughts aside. She still, unfortunately, had her own kingdom to run.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Sarah..._

Sarah, who was walking home from work, very nearly came clear out of her skin upon hearing her name said _that_ way in_ that _voice. Oh, she remembered the voice, she'd probably never forget. How could she? It was a voice that she'd heard frequently over thirteen hours, and then never again. Until now. Except she didn't hear it in her ears. She heard it in her mind.

Upon hearing the sound, she'd stilled, feeling the memory of that time, nearly twelve years ago. The day she'd met her dreams turned flesh, the first man she'd ever met that stirred her heart and mind and imagination. A man who even though she could have easily fallen in love with, she had to let go, in order to save her brother. It had hurt, more than she expected, to realize that when everyone else would answer her call, it was as though he couldn't hear her, or didn't want to. He'd shut her from his life for what she could only imagine was the ultimate betrayal to him.

Still, even all these lonely years later, she longed to see him again, to tell him that the words were not meant to shut him from her life. She desperately wished that he could understand that she cared for him so deeply, that her heart had never found someone who could make her feel like he had. She'd tried. She'd dated others who seemed to support her dreams, her secret longings, but they always turned out to be lies. No man in her realm truly would give her those dreams.

In the end, she was nearly twenty seven, and heart-brokenly alone. Toby was the only one who understood the bitter taste of lost dreams, and it was her fault. If she'd asked, Jareth may have not turned Toby into a Goblin. They could have raised him together as their son.

She forced herself to start moving again. There was no point dwelling on what might have been, getting depressed and falling into a funk that she likely wouldn't be able to pull herself from. As she passed an alley, she saw a few boys throwing rocks at a corner and sighed, wondering what poor stray had caught their attention today. She moved towards them, yelling at the boys crossly. She whacked one good on the back of the head and nodded in satisfaction as they went running home.

Then, she turned towards the animal that was laying among the garbage.

Her eyes widened. "What are you doing here, darling?" She asked, reaching forward, stroking the downy feathers of a barn owl. "You're a long way from home..." It was true. Though she regularly saw them at her father's house in the suburbs, one rarely found one so far in the city. She sighed, shrugging out of her jacket. "What management doesn't know wont hurt them..." She whispered conspiratorially to the bird, tucking it safely in her large shoulder bag.

She crept past the building manager's room, into her own and carefully pulled the owl from her bag, still safely padded by her jacket. "Hey there, darling..." She spread the coat out, running her fingers carefully over the bird, checking for serious wounds. She was surprised to see that the cut that had been near it's eyes, bleeding rather badly when she'd first found him didn't look so bad any more. The bleeding had fully stopped and the wound didn't look so deep in this light. "I guess you're not in such bad shape..." She watched it's feathers shake as it stood, as though unsteady. "Such a beautiful bird...I wonder if you're someone's pet...I don't think I've seen one of you so far in the city before..."

It was staring up at her. It was unnerving. Rather than moving away from her, it simply stared, as though trying to figure out something about her.

That's when she really noticed it's eyes. Her breath caught and she gently touched the birds face. "Oh, my. You have his eyes..." She said softly, her heart, already bruised from hearing his voice taking another blow in such a short time. "One brown...one blue...Like Earth and sky." She hugged herself, feeling a bit more lonely and hurt.

The bird leaned forward, nipping at her nose lightly, and she laughed, but it was a miserable sound. "If I didn't know better, my feathered friend, I'd say you were trying to make me feel better..." Peculiarly, the owl nodded, which made her smile. "Thanks." She stroked it's lovely feathers. "You probably don't know what I'm saying, but the idea that you might is a comfort..." She stood, stretching. "I should make some food. I don't know about you, but I'm starved."

Again, the owl nodded.

She blinked, inclining her head and then she smiled. Oddly, she didn't mind it's strange behavior. "I don't have any thing I can think to feed you, but I have plenty of water and there's some meat in the freezer..." Again, it nodded. She shook the strange feeling that came over her and she sighed. "And after we eat, I highly suggest some rest. I've had a hell of a day, and I figure you must have, too..."

In less than an hour, she had food on the table and she and the bird ate their modest meal. She was surprised when it actually stole a few of the green beans on her plate, consuming those as well. She shrugged, figuring it probably wasn't a big deal. After the dinner was cleaned up, she sat on the couch, watching her small television, while the bird watched her with a perplexed expression. She began dozing off on the couch, when a strange scent filled her nose. It smelled like the air before a rainstorm, heavy, thick, filled with ozone. She sat slowly, looking around, finding that the bird was nowhere to be found. Instead, a hand peaked around the bottom of the couch. A hand in a black glove.

Sarah grabbed the baseball bat she kept nearby in case of a break-in and stood, creeping around her couch. What she found laying on her floor caused her to drop the bat and back up three full feet.

Wild blond hair, shorter than she remembered, but still standing away from his head. Billowy white shirt, with lace ruffles at the wrists and neck. That strange triangle pendant. Black leather pants, a bit less tight than she remembered, but still notably his. Black, calf-skin gloves and boots. Pale, even skin. Brows that reached up his forehead. Thin, lips, slightly softened and parted.

Sarah realized that she hadn't breathed and took several deep breaths, trying to keep her breaths slow when her body wanted to hyperventilate. "Jareth..." She whispered. Her eyes searched his face and found what she didn't know she was looking for. A pale mark, the sign of a freshly healed scratch, stretching down his cheek, under his eye. The owl she'd found was none other than the Goblin King, Jareth.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_AN: And cue credits. So closes the opening of this story. I will try to continue this, and I'll likely post it under several sites, although it will NOT make an appearance on GaiaOnline. . As usual, C&C is appreciated, although if you ZOMGTISFC, I wont get upset. Since I write for Inuyasha as well, I'm used to it. XD Love and peace everyone._


	2. Chapter 1: Forgotten

_AN: So, I've seen eight million of these where Sarah forgets her memories of Labyrinth (which sometimes I have trouble seeing, unless it's due to some kinda trauma/brainwashing. You have to admit, it's kinda an unforgettable thing to go through...), but there are absolutely ZERO where Jareth loses HIS memories of what happened. Don't worry, it's still SarahxJareth. I'm not going to Mary Sue up my favorite fantasy movie of all time. _

_Disclaimer: Labyrinth is sole property of the Jim Henson Company, not me. I'm borrowing all the goblins and such, as well as the Goblin King for an undisclosed amount of time. I'll be returning him soon enough._

Unforgettable

By: DemonSaya

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Chapter 1

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Forgotten

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sarah stared at Jareth's form, sleeping on her floor and tried to come to terms with what had happened that evening. Jareth was the owl. The owl was Jareth. She realized quite suddenly that she remembered the owl from her childhood at her father's house, that it was frequently around her house, both before, and after that night where she fought for and won back her beloved baby brother. Yet this was the first time in so long that she'd seen the man. Her breath sobbed out of her and she realized that she was very near tears. "Oh, god, Jareth..." She fell to her knees, rolling him onto his back, touching his face, noting he didn't look a day older than he had so long ago.

She wished she could say the same.

She'd always felt inadequate in his presence, save for that inspired moment when she amazingly remembered her line from the play. She ran her hands over his face and hair, her breaths coming shorter and shorter. She was panicking. She was distressed, excited, miserable, and overjoyed. It only hit her now, how badly she truly longed to see him. Those mis-matched eyes opened and looked up at her and she saw a blank, empty stare. It cut her to the quick. "Jareth?"

He didn't answer, sitting, looking around, as though confused. "I was a bird." He said evenly, as though he couldn't puzzle out how he'd gone from bird to man. He looked towards her. "Did you change me?" He looked down at his hands, testing them, then, he made a decision. "No, this is how I am..." He said it with such confidence, but his eyes showed anything but. They were filled with doubt, confusion.

She fell back onto her backside. "Wh...What?!" She whispered, feeling as if a hand were in her chest, squeezing her heart dry. No! He couldn't have forgotten her...then again, what if time moved differently in the Labyrinth? He said it did. He could re-order the time, re-arrange the space. Maybe centuries had passed and he couldn't remember her. Tears filled her eyes. "Jareth...?" She whimpered weakly.

"Who is that?" A confused expression. Those two-toned eyes looked at her, pinned her.

She was going to faint. "Jareth is you...your name is Jareth..." She said softly, the room around her already spinning. She wasn't getting enough oxygen. She had to calm down. She forced a slow breath and the room steadied slightly. There was acceptance, but no understanding in his eyes. He'd accepted the name like one would accept a title. There was no familiarity, really nothing. Just him staring at her as though she were a clue to a puzzle. "You...don't remember, do you." She said flatly.

Those puzzled eyes returned to her. "Remember what?" He asked quietly.

That said enough. She smiled faintly, shaking her head. "It's nothing." She lied, ignoring the itch in her eyes.

He inclined his head, noting the way her eyes were watering. Something inside him ached. He didn't know why, he didn't know where the sensation came from, but he knew it had to do with what had been puzzling him about her since he set eyes on her. "Who are you?" He asked quietly.

She forced herself to stay smiling, even though it felt like she was dying inside. "My name is Sarah. You can stay here...until you can find your way home." She stood, pretending like the room wasn't dipping and turning around her. She failed and felt her knees give. She started to fall, but never made it to the ground.

Faster than thought, Jareth was up, holding her elbows, looking into her face, his face so close to hers, all she could see were his eyes. Her breath sobbed out of her and she closed her eyes, drawing away from him. It was like having her heart broken every time she looked into those eyes that thought she was a stranger. She was crying now and she knew it. Dammit. She didn't want to cry. Not in front of him.

Jareth inclined his head puzzled when she lowered her head and began shaking. He saw something splash on his hand and his mind, feeling much more like swiss cheese than solid matter, put a name on what was happening. He caught her chin, tilting her face up. "You're crying?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, turning her face away from him. "Don't stare..." She whispered furiously. She opened her mouth to snap at him to let her go, but her words were stolen when his tongue started at her cheek and licked the tear away. She trembled, struggling against him, but when she turned her head the other way, he simply cleared away that tear as well. Damn him. He didn't even remember her and he was on the verge of feeling her-

She wasn't calming. If anything, she was getting more upset. He considered releasing her, but she was trembling so hard that he was almost certain if he eased his grip, she'd fall, possibly hurt herself. He put an arm around her waist, stroking her hair gently, trying to calm her. "Don't cry..." He murmured softly, breathing the scent of her hair, faint with the scent of peaches. That must have been the wrong thing to do, because she began crying harder, clinging to him.

He sighed, tired, confused and uncertain, and lifted her easily in his arms, sitting on the couch. He held her against his chest, stroking her hair, hoping to ease her back to her calmed state, so she might be able to give him more information. He wasn't sure what was troubling him about her tears. He had no memory of this woman, yet he knew without a doubt that he knew her. He furrowed his brow in frustration, pressing his nose against her skin, breathing that scent, a scent that tickled his mind, teasing him with a memory he couldn't remember, or forget.

Peaches.

Why were peaches important?

He couldn't find an answer to that question, so he simply held her until she went limp, drifting asleep, her head resting heavily on his shoulder. He brushed her dark hair from her cheek, drying the tracks of her tears as he did so. He frowned deeply, inclining his head. He felt so tired, and his mind felt strangely fuzzy. He knew it shouldn't. For some reason he knew he was supposed to be clever and cunning and wise, but presently, he felt mindless and naive, like a child.

His mind whirled and he lay forward, resting his head against her breasts, listening to the steady beat of her heart. She would be angry when she woke. For some reason, that didn't upset him. Her angry, he supposed, at least wasn't her crying. Besides, he thought sleepily, an arrogant smirk turning up the corners of his lips. At least angry should be entertaining.

He acknowledged the part of himself, which for whatever reason believed that he had achieved some small victory, and he wrapped his arms around her waist as he drifted asleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hoggle watered the flowers at the entrance of the Labyrinth, remembering the last time he'd been this far out of the place, looking over the expansive landscape, trying to figure out what it was that was troubling him.

That morning, as the sun rose, he had seen an owl fly over head and the earth shook as it disappeared overhead. He'd figured it was Jareth doing his semi-annual flight to check on Sarah in Aboveground. Until something started gnawing at the pit of his stomach.

He shivered, shaking the remaining drops before tucking himself back into his pants, looking around, thinking about that day twelve years ago when he'd met the best friend he'd ever had. He still wore that little plastic bracelet she gave him, a gift, something to encourage him to take her to the center of the Labyrinth. He could still remember her dragging him down the long corridor, helping save him from the Cleaners.

She was the first friend he'd ever had. The only person who would be friend to a coward like him. Then, a few years ago, she'd called them all for the last time.

There had been tears in her eyes, and she wouldn't explain why, but she said she wouldn't be able to call them any more. It had hurt deeply to see her like that, and frequently, he'd gone to the only person who would know how she was. He'd gone to Jareth. The king never refused the information requested. He would call a crystal and show whoever wished to know the fate of 'That woman' as Jareth had called her.

Seeing her like that had broken his heart. A strong woman, forced to hustle along with her head down, from and to work. Heart sore, he'd kept one of the crystals that could see Sarah, and now and then he would whisper his encouragement, trying anything he could think of to tell her that her friends still cared, would still support her, even if she couldn't call them anymore.

The ground felt fluid suddenly, and for a moment, Hoggle focused back on the present, taking a moment to realize what he was seeing. He paled, backing away from the encroaching darkness. "JARETH!" He cried, turning and running full speed into the Labyrinth, calling it's king.

Just before entering, he turned around for another moment, seeing those black tendrils swallowing the land. The Labyrinth was going to be consumed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_JARETH!_

Sarah bolted upright, or would have, if there hadn't been a slight weight upon her chest. She looked down and flushed dark red, shoving Jareth from her, and heard him crash to the floor as she sprung over the back of the couch, running to her room. Her large mirror was reflecting her face only, but there was no mistake. She'd heard Hoggle's desperate, frightened voice. Why? Why could she suddenly hear the voices that she had not heard since she left home?! "HOGGLE!" She hit the glass, frustrated. "HOGGLE, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"What are you talking to? What's a Hoggle?"

She whirled towards Jareth. "He's my friend, and he was calling you. He sounds scared..." She turned back to the mirror, wanting to break it in her frustration, much like she had when she was in the Labyrinth.

"My dear, I don't think breaking the mirror will bring your friend to you..." He said evenly. He saw her slowly turn towards him, her eyes narrow. He actually felt the urge to back away when she stalked towards him. He forced himself to remain still, even when there was barely enough room between them for air to pass through. His pulse began to race because of her proximity. The scent of peaches filled his nostrils and he breathed it deeply, enjoying is body's response.

She glared up at him. "Show me the Labyrinth, Jareth. I _know_ you can do it." She saw the perplexed expression on his face and the reality settled into her. He didn't remember _anything_. At all. Not even his home, not even his subjects. She grabbed his arms, desperate. "You have to remember...Jareth, please, they could be in trouble..." She couldn't just sit and do nothing, and Jareth, somewhere, deep down had to remember SOMETHING.

Her words stirred something in him, especially when she said please. He wanted to remember for her, so he turned his thoughts inward, resting a finger against her lips lightly. To his relief she remained silent, giving him the time he needed. He closed his eyes, wincing against the pain running through his head from trying to force memories. Something came to him. Glass. Water. Reflective surface. Crystal globes, circling. Faces in the crystal.

He didn't know why he knew, he just knew. This was magic. This was part of what he was. He _could_ do what she asked of him. He could. His head felt like it was splitting. But he had to remember. For her.

She watched him, noticing that he looked like he was in severe pain. She opened her mouth to speak, but he simply pressed his finger harder against her lips. She closed her mouth, watching his eyes snap open, and the Jareth she remembered was there. Lucid, although there was still confusion in his eyes.

"I know what to do..." He walked towards her mirror, resting his hands lightly against the frame. He concentrated, and within moments, he saw a small creature, dwarf-like running through the walls of what appeared to be a large maze.

"HOGGLE!" She cried, touching the almost fluid surface of the glass. He didn't seem to hear her. She felt tears pierce her eyes. "HOGGLE!"

He spun, his eyes widened and he ran his short little legs faster.

Just as he disappeared from view, darkness began eating at the walls he'd just disappeared through.

Horror filled Sarah. What was happening to the Labyrinth? She turned towards Jareth, and saw a perplexed expression on his face. He still didn't remember? He was looking at halls he'd walked through for ages! He could remember how to do this, so why couldn't he remember his home? His subjects? Her?

"Something tells me that's not good." He said quietly. He saw tears in her eyes and she looked back to the mirror. He stepped towards her, trying not to feel wounded when she backed away from him. "You're crying again." He said evenly, trapped her between her vanity table and himself. Why the devil was he baiting a distressed woman? Ah, yes, because if she was angry, she may stop crying. He leaned closer to her, bringing his chest very close to her own.

She swore viciously, seeing something she'd almost call amusement in his gaze as she did. For someone who lost his memories, he still treated her exactly as he always had. Domineering, controlling...She shivered. Dammit, she thought, looking down so that she'd be looking somewhere besides his mis-matched eyes which she loved so much. She bit her lip, asking what she had to. "What happened to your memories, Jareth?"

He was quiet for a moment, straightening. He closed his eyes, turning his thoughts inward, but winced, shaking his head. "I don't know. I woke as a bird, being pelted by two or three brats with rocks. That is the first memory I have." He said evenly. "Why do you know me?" He asked back

She closed her eyes, and picked up the worn red book on her vanity. "I've known of you for a long time." She lifted her gaze, looking at him. "Goblin King." She said evenly. She saw confusion on his face and shoved the book against his chest. "I have to get ready for work. You seem to have a lot of free time since you're here, and since I can't go there..." She felt tears well in her eyes. "Read it if you want." She pushed him from her room, refusing to look at him or answer his questions.

She closed the door to his startled face and hastily wiped her eyes. She stared at her once again reflective mirror and cringed. Her eyes were heavily tinged red. She grabbed her eye drops and cleared up both eyes, before beginning to apply her modest make-up. She dressed in the simple suit she was expected to wear at her work and tied her hair up into the French twist, also expected. She closed her eyes, hating herself, hating her reflection, hating this mold her step-mother shoved her in. She didn't _want_ to be a secretary. She _hated_ being a secretary.

But she could either have her dreams, or be able to afford to live. She decided that having food in her stomach was more important. It was after she made that choice and sacrificed her dreams, that she said goodbye to her friends, explained she couldn't see them any more.

She wondered what they'd think if they saw her now.

She heard her door creak open and lifted her gaze to the mirror, finding Jareth standing there, his gaze even more confused. She saw the book held tightly in his hand. "What is it?" She asked wearily. Now, her living, breathing embodiment of her dreams stood there, not six feet away, looking at her with those beautiful eyes. A dream she could never have, could never really touch.

He stepped towards her, not certain how to ask this. "Sarah...were we..." He lifted his gaze when he found the words he needed. "Were we lovers?" If that was true, then that would explain the deep attachment he felt whenever he looked at her. The attraction that he couldn't explain. He was certain he'd only met her the night before. But if they were-

"No." She said quietly, heart aching. "We were enemies." She turned towards him, brushing past him as she left the room. It broke her heart. She really cared for him. She loved him. But they weren't lovers. They were opposite sides of a chess board. The King of Darkness, and a Pawn of Light. They would never be anything else.

He caught her arm before she fully passed him. He could see pain in her eyes, and he hated it. He hated her for destroying the only thing that was starting to make sense. His eyes searched her face, her jade eyes, then drifted to her petal pink, glossy lips. There was one way to find out. If she responded, she was lying. Then, maybe everything would make sense again. He drew her close, dipping his head, about to claim her lips when her door bell rang.

She jumped at the sound and backed several steps away from him, breaking his grasp. She forced herself to move towards the door, but he caught her again, pinning her between him and the wall, his face angry. Her stomach tied itself in knots and she swallowed hard. "Jareth-"

"You're not walking away this time." He said quietly and claimed her lips.

She melted. Without meaning or wanting to, her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed closer to him, and for a moment, she was standing in that fantastic ballroom, The Goblin King's arms around her. It's wrong, a tiny voice reminded her, but she effectively squashed it. She'd wanted this for twelve years, the kiss she'd denied herself. The dream she'd denied herself, hadn't even dared to dream.

He parted her lips easily, feeling even more confused. He knew that this was something he'd wanted for so long, something he'd never had. His pulse was racing, her palms were growing sweaty. The faint taste of mint colored the kiss, and he enjoyed her sweet taste, his fingers digging into her sides as he tried to hold her against him. His vision was blurring, and he realized that his lungs were burning. He needed to breath. With a gasp, he tore his lips from hers, then dove back down, before she could speak, pleased when she met him for the next kiss.

His kiss was so possessive, possessing, it caused tears to fill her eyes. No. No, he didn't really love her, he simply desired her. Those words he spoke before she left him last were just a desperate last ditch effort to win the game. She wanted to fight him, but when again, the kiss broke and he rested his forehead against hers, she was too busy catching her breath to accuse him.

The sound of her doorbell ringing, and her door being pounded on, drew her attention after several, breathless moments. "SARAH! We're going to be late!"

She swore soundly, breaking free of Jareth's now slack grasp and she moved quickly for the door, unable to meet the Goblin King's gaze. Her lips felt swollen, bruised. She opened her door, closed it, and locked it, looking at her friend. "Hi, Tina."

Tina arched an eyebrow. "Sarah...did you just get laid?" She grinned when Sarah flushed.

Sarah straightened her hair and clothing, unable to meet Tina's gaze any easier than she'd been able to meet Jareth's. "Don't be ridiculous." She could still feel where Jareth's fingers had dug into her skin. She felt violated, completed.

"You're flushed, your lips are bruised, and you left your house looking seriously ruffled. Who's the lucky guy?" The darker skinned girl peered toward the door as Sarah headed down the hall.

"I don't want to talk about it..." She said, heading down the hall. Her heart felt bruised all over again. It hurt, especially since she knew he didn't know what he was doing. He didn't understand what had happened between them. He didn't understand that every moment they were here, together, it was a constant reminder of what she'd given up.

Meanwhile, Jareth leaned against her wall, unable to fully comprehend what happened. He flipped open the book, staring down at it. "But no one knew the Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl..." He read aloud and groaned, digging his hand through his hair. This was just a story. Just a silly girls-He saw himself in the mirror and stared at his clothing.

Not the clothing he'd seen on her television, not the clothing he'd seen her wear. Something that looked like someone's fantasy prince, not a modern man. His eyes caught sight of a small figure on the vanity, something that had escaped his notice until now. Dressed in similar garb. He looked down at his ruffled sleeve and growled in frustration.

Nothing made any sense. He had to remember. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force himself to remember anything, his home, his childhood, this girl, anything. Pain tore through his brain and he fought it, trying to push a tingling memory to the surface. Something brought on by the scent of peaches, by the feel of her body so close to his own, and her fleeing him.

Unable to bear the pain any longer, he collapsed onto her bedroom floor, calling out her name. "Sarah..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

He stood in the center of an ballroom, peering out through the eyes of a mask, surveying the whirling crowd of Fae, wearing Goblin Masks, laughing, carrying on. Through them, he saw _her_ dressed in a gown of white and gold and silver, the faintest hint of butterfly glitter on her face, exotic hairpiece, her bodice low enough to give a tantalizing glimpse of flesh. Her eyes landed on him and he dropped the mask, not wishing to hide who he was, what he was.

Just one dance, just to show her that it wasn't all just a game. He truly loved her, needed her at his side. He loved how she fought him, stood against him, but at the same time it drove him mad, because his heart longed for her to stand at his side.

He moved towards her, her confused gaze never leaving his face. His own never left hers. She was magnificent, a princess, someone he could share with his kingdom, his castle, his heart. Someone who could complete him. He took her hand, pulled her close and they danced.

That scene bled into another, watching her run through another room, filled with stairs, stairs going up, down, sideways and upside down. Stairs that led nowhere and stairs that led...

She jumped, floated through space, landing before him. She stood, facing him. Her eyes widened into an expression of surprise, of innocence. "You have no power over me..."

He felt himself shatter and the world around him began to slip, give way. He fell. "SARAH!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sarah stopped, that pained cry going through her mind. She heard Tina ask her what was wrong and she turned back towards her apartment. "Jareth..." She whispered. She turned to Tina. "Tina, I have to go back." She said, backing away from her friend. "I have to go back!"

One moment, she was in the middle of the side walk, then she was at Jareth's side, finding him laying on the floor of her bedroom, sweating, panting. She didn't even register what had just happened. She was too busy checking over the unconscious Goblin King. "Jareth..." She whispered, shaking him gently. "Jareth, what's wrong?!"

Those beautiful mis-matched, Earth and Sky eyes opened, looking up at her, wary. Not warm, heated, not even confused. Just wary. It broke her heart. He reached up as though to touch her face, then it dropped away and he looked away from her. "Release me, peasant." He demanded, his voice cold, almost devoid of emotion.

Her eyes widened. That sounded like something Jareth would say. But not to her. She was surprised how hard it was to let him go. She gently set him on the floor and backed away from him. Of course. What was she thinking? Why hadn't she just gone to work. She didn't look at him as he forced himself into a sitting position. "You remember then?" She asked, fighting to keep her voice emotionless.

He glared at her, his gaze furious. "I remember what you said." He fully looked away from her. Yet, even that was slipping away from him. Why couldn't he hold onto his memories?

She felt tears pierce her eyes. "See? I was right. We were enemies, not..." She swallowed hard, choking back her tears. She wouldn't cry in front of him again, dammit.

"Your choice, my dear." He snapped, glaring at her again. He swore silently when he noticed her head was lowered in defeat, her shoulders trembling. He reached forward to touch her and caught himself. She'd left him, he'd loved her, he'd shown his love to her, and she left him regardless. His pride felt wounded. These were not memories he wanted. If only they would just disappear! He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling it slipping away harder. It hurt more a great deal to hold it into his memory.

"I was young, Jareth." She said quietly. "And...you had taken my brother." She remained where she was. "You took Toby, and were going to turn him into a Goblin. If I hadn't left..." She lifted her eyes, bright with tears and glared at him, furious with him. "My dreams or my brother. That was the deal. I wanted my brother back more than I needed those dreams then!" She stood, turning away from him. "Yes, I left. So, if knowing that, you wish to return home, that's probably for the best!"

He gasped in pain, collapsing, holding his head tightly. The pounding in his head wouldn't go away. It was maddening, so painful, so frustrating. He felt a hand gently brush his hair away and he realized that his head was no longer on the hard floor, but instead rested on the girl's thighs. His eyes snapped open and he found her leaning over him, her expression hurt. Her touch eased the pain in his head, held the memory in his mind.

She bit her lip fiercely. She was furious, concerned, hurt, but holding him like this felt so right, like it was meant to be. "It'll be okay. We'll get your memories back." She brushed her lips gently against his forehead, then leaned against the wall, looking away from him. "Just rest. The pain will go away."

"The only time it doesn't hurt is when you're holding me." He breathed softly, his head lolling towards her stomach as he drifted into deep, dreamless sleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hoggle burst into the Castle, finding the Goblins running, not held in check in the least. Many were making off with stacks of silks, gold, jewels from the King's Vault. He felt his unease grow. That didn't bode well. Jareth would never let them go into the Vault. What in the Underground had happened to the Goblin King.

Something was fighting against the darkness swallowing the Labyrinth. He didn't know what, but just as he reached the first good turn, the darkness stopped, as though unable to move further. It didn't make any sense. Why was it being consumed at all?!

When he found Jareth, he was going to demand some answers.

He moved through the castle, searching every room as quickly as he was able, knocking several Goblins spilling onto the floor. He reached the Goblin King's bed chamber and found his bed still unmade, his clothing still in the dumbwaiter, closet still standing open. A cup of tea had been knocked over on the vanity.

A shattered dream crystal still broken on the floor.

Hoggle held his breath, sniffing the tea still in the cup and a realization swept through him. "Memory root..." He breathed, setting the cup down. He snatched up several of Jareth's crystals and stored them safely in a bag, deciding it was time to go find Sir Didymus and Ludo. Then, then they'd go find Sarah.

Because if he was right, if the Goblin King's memories of the Labyrinth, the memories of his life were gone, the Labyrinth, and it's subjects would also fade from existence.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_AN: Yeah, another chapter gone. . A few more comments would be nice. I know people are reading because several have put this on alert/favorite. Thanks to those people, as well as those who left their comments from the last chapter. I got the idea that since the Goblin King's dreams sustained the Labyrinth, if he left and his memories of it were gone, what might happen. The first thought that came to mind were the edges of it crumbling into nothing. LOL I contemplated saving the kiss scene for later, and having that be what returned Jareth's memories, but it was so 'Sleeping Beauty' cliche, I just couldn't. On the bright side, that means there should be plenty of kisses. XD_

_Look forward to the next chapter, coming soon._


	3. Chapter 2: Brittle

_AN: So, I've seen eight million of these where Sarah forgets her memories of Labyrinth (which sometimes I have trouble seeing, unless it's due to some kinda trauma/brainwashing. You have to admit, it's kinda an unforgettable thing to go through...), but there are absolutely ZERO where Jareth loses HIS memories of what happened. Don't worry, it's still SarahxJareth. I'm not going to Mary Sue up my favorite fantasy movie of all time. _

_Disclaimer: Labyrinth is sole property of the Jim Henson Company, not me. I'm borrowing all the goblins and such, as well as the Goblin King for an undisclosed amount of time. I'll be returning him soon enough._

Unforgettable

By: DemonSaya

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Chapter 2

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Brittle

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The phone was ringing shrilly, but she hesitated to remove the Goblin King's head from her lap. She had never before seen his face sleeping so peacefully. He looked so innocent while he slept, so peaceful. His words as he drifted into deep sleep caused a fluttering in her stomach. She gently stroked his hair, feeling awkward, afraid, and very much in love.

After a few rings, her phone hung up and stopped for about thirty seconds and began ringing again. Sarah swore softly, gently placing the Goblin King on the ground, keeping a hand on his, stretching to reach the phone in her room. She lifted it off the hook and placed it against her ear. "Sarah Williams..." She said, feeling tired and scrubbed out.

"WILLIAMS!"

Sarah winced faintly. "Hello Mr. Kinsey." She said, painfully aware that she was very, very late. But she couldn't leave Jareth like this. She just couldn't. He needed her, and she needed to be near him. Even if he cast her from his life. She needed him. She squeezed his hand.

"You're LATE! Where the HELL are you! You should have been here an HOUR AGO!!!" She could picture his face over the phone, the bloated flesh dark red. His yellowed teeth enunciating every syllable.

She winced, scooting closer to Jareth, taking comfort in his presence. "A...A friend of mine needed my help. I should have called, I'm sorry. I forgot."

"Your friends aren't as important as your JOB! You have ten minutes to get here, or you're FIRED!!"

She felt tears gather in her eyes, but she fought them away. "Then I quit. I'm not abandoning someone I care for just because you have PMS." She slammed the phone down on the floor, grabbed the body of it and yanked it from the wall.

The noise made Jareth startle awake and he found his hand was encased in another, stretched away from his body and the hand holding his was limp, to a pair of shoulders sloped in defeat. Dark hair hung around her face and he searched for a moment before he remembered her name. "Sarah...?"

She wiped her tears away before she looked up. "You're awake." She winced when her voice sounded pained. She lowered her head again, finding she couldn't find the strength in her to hold it upright anymore. She didn't have a job. She had no way to pay her rent, feed herself, put clothes on her back, nothing.

"You're in pain."

To the point, and observant as always. She forced a laugh, and it came out more hysterical than anything else. She was losing it. She knew she was damn close to her breaking point. She lifted her eyes to Jareth's and gave him a pained smile. "I quit my job." She said softly. She saw him incline his head in confusion. "It's how I afford to live on my own..." She felt a sob rising in her chest and fought it. "Without a job, I can't afford food, I can't afford to live here..." She finally cracked, and fell forward so he wouldn't see her tears, curled into a miserable ball and began sobbing.

"Why would you quit, if it's necessary for survival?" He asked, confused. He moved towards her, petting her hair.

"I hated that job. I hated it! Call me a secretary, but what he really wants is someone who'll blow him and not complain, because her job is on the line if she does! Then, I need to stay home, I have to take care of someone, and rather than giving me time off, he..." She fought to breath, but she knew she would hyperventilate. Soft, murmured whispers in a language she didn't understand reached her ears. Without thinking about what she was doing, she threw her arms around him, buried her face in his chest and cried against the soft white cotton of his billowing shirt.

He didn't know how he knew the words, but he spoke softly, soothing words, words of peace, and comfort. It was a language as old as time itself. She couldn't possibly understand it, but it was having the proper effect on her. Her breaths were evening, her grip was relaxing. Gently, he lifted her into his arms, moved out of her room, set her on the couch and disappeared into her kitchen to make her a cup of tea. Two steps away from her, what he could only call a memory flitted through his mind.

_It's a crystal. Nothing more, nothing less. But if you turn it this way..._

"It can show you your dreams..." He blinked, wondering where that came from. He remembered her words from earlier, and looked at her, wide-eyed.

_My dreams, or my brother. That was the deal._

He filled the teapot, set it on her stove, fiddling with it for a moment before he figured out how to light it. He set the pot on the flame, and moved to her side, still contemplating that brief memory. "Why did you give up your dreams, just to live a painful life here?" He asked quietly. He saw her stiffen and wished he'd kept his damn mouth shut.

She turned towards him, seeing a serious expression on his face. "I was young, Jareth. I thought, perhaps naively at the time, that I could still have my dreams, even if I left Underground..." She laughed bitterly. "I wanted to be an actress. Not like TV or movies. I loved the stage. I could be anything. Anyone. I wasn't just poor Sarah Williams, whose mother left her, who was stuffed into a mold that suited her family, but not her." She closed her eyes. It hurt to tell him this. It hurt that her life wasn't panning out how she hoped, it hurt that she'd given up who and what she was that night in the Labyrinth, not knowing she wasn't just sacrificing her dreams of him, but her dreams of everything. "I was a Princess, or a Knight, or even a maid, but I wasn't Sarah Williams."

"What's wrong with Sarah Williams?" He asked, brushing her hair away. "It's all I ever wanted you to be."

She closed her eyes in pain. "Jareth-"

He rested a finger against her lips, contemplating the pain on her face. "You are a strong woman, who has been dealt an unfortunate hand. The choices of many, not one, have influenced your life." He took his hand away. "I have influenced your life, your parents, your brother. Without one person you've met, you would not be the woman you've become."

"I like the way I used to be better. I was stronger. More brave."

He smiled in wry amusement. "My dear. I would say it takes a great deal of steel on your spine to stand up for your friends, at the cost of yourself. But then, you've always been like that, haven't you..."

She closed her eyes tightly under the praise. "I wish I could see all my friends again. I miss them so badly." She looked up as he left her side when the teapot whistled and smiled sadly. "I...had to tell them goodbye. The day I left home. Dad and Karen...they'd finally had enough. I had been trying to get parts in local plays, but no one would take someone with no formal training or acting school. They finally forced me to go to college for something that would 'pay the bills'." She took a slow, shuddering breath. "I haven't been able to see them since. I couldn't hear them either..."

"Why could they answer you there, but not here?"

She laughed sadly. "My mirror...for whatever reason, my mirror could connect to Underground. I could see them whenever I wanted, hear their voices..." She looked up at him as he handed her a cup of tea. "Until last night. I heard you. I was walking home from work and _I heard you_. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. I found your owl form, but I didn't know it was you until you transformed..." She blinked, remembering today.

"I wonder why you heard me then..."

She shuddered faintly. "Then, Hoggle's voice calling you woke me this morning. I haven't heard him in three years, but I knew it was him. His voice hasn't changed at all. And then, on the way to work..." She frowned. "I heard you call out to me. I was going to run home, but Tina tried to stop me. Then I was here, right next to you. I don't remember how I got here." She shook her head, trying to clear out the cobwebs. "It makes no sense..."

"Perhaps...you wished it?"

She shook her head, then looked at him. "I think it's because you're here. I'm connected to Underground again, through you." She rubbed her arms, frowning. He sat beside her and she turned to face him. Those brows that rose into his hairline at a steep angle above those sharp, almost animal eyes. The long, aristocratic nose. Thin lips. She couldn't tell him what she thought brought her to his side. He wouldn't understand. The sensations, the feelings were too confusing to explain. But she knew one thing. Her love and concern were what pulled her to his side.

"You call it...Underground?"

She looked towards him, smiling in exasperation. "Your domain, the land where you are a King. The King of the Goblins, Ruler of the Labyrinth." She hesitated to touch one cheek on his sculpted face. "A villain because when I was fifteen, that's what I needed you to be." She leaned her head back, sighing.

"And now?" He inquired, looking at her profile. There was a sad smile on her face, something soft, bittersweet. "And now, Sarah? What do you need me to be now?"

She turned her head and looked at him, seeing confusion bordering on desperation. "I don't know." She knew what she would have liked him to be, if not for that sinking twisting sensation in her stomach. He was leaning towards her and she felt her breaths shorten. He was going to kiss her again. She should back away, before she fell for him more fully than she already did. She couldn't bring herself to draw away from him. Her fingers lightly touched his face, and she leaned forward, to meet his kiss.

He could taste her sweet breath when the building suddenly shook at the frame. His eyes snapped open as the building continued to shake. The air smelled heavy with the scent of wetlands, and he knew instinctively and with increasing fury, someone with magic was causing this. He snarled viciously, standing and finding that swirling vortex of power in himself and unleashing a powerful mental backhand to whoever was causing the building to fall apart around their ears. The shaking ceased and he turned towards Sarah, whose eyes were wide and she was standing.

There was a loud groan around them and Sarah grabbed him as the building finally gave under years of earthquakes, this final action brought it down around their ears.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hoggle looked out over the land, swearing faintly. The consumption of the Labyrinth had begun once again. Whatever had been fighting against the darkness was failing. Whoever had slipped their king the Memory Root probably had no idea whatsoever what they'd done. The Goblin King had always been the anchor holding the Underground together. No matter what incarnation, that particular King's memories of how the world should be were what held the world together. If the king died without an heir, the world died with him. The whole of the Underground would be consumed if that darkness reached the castle.

He began walking, swiftly as his short legs made him able, his blue eyes scanning for Sir Didymus. He knew the knight would be all over getting in on this particular mission. He didn't have to search far. He turned a corner of the maze and found the dog facing off against a rather large, hairy creature wearing armor as well. "Dammit." Hoggle swore, slipping behind a wall. He needed to talk to Didymus NOW, not whenever this battle of his would be over. "Dammit, ya mongrel excuse fer a knight!" He shouted around the wall. "Get over here now!"

"In a moment, my dear, short friend!"

Hoggle snarled faintly. Who the hell was that pipsqueak calling short?! He stepped around the wall, grabbed the small dog by his collar and slammed him against the wall with all of his strength, then glared at the other knight with a fury that startled them. "This can't wait, Didymus." He snarled. "You can have your duel with this tin can later!" He drug the knight and the knights steed through the Labyrinth till he could skitter up a wall, to display the thing he needed for the him to see.

Upon reaching the top of the wall, he set the dog down, and pointed. "LOOK, damn ya!"

The knight, S. Didymus stood, looking with frustration in the direction the dwarf was pointing. He staggered, nearly falling off the wall. "What is this...The Labyrinth is crumbling!"

"Jareth's missing." Hoggle said, looking around, troubled. The progression of the darkness had stilled once again. "I went to the castle to find him and find out what was going on...He's gone. I saw him disappear yesterday in his Owl form. The earth shook at that moment. Today, the darkness appeared at the edge of the Laybrinth. You KNOW what this means."

"The anchor..." Didymus was horrified. "What did they give him?!"

"My guess is Memory Root. I smelled it in a spilled cup of tea in his room. It's pandemonium up there. The Goblins are taking over. How fast can you whip up a-" He looked out and swore. It was moving again. "An antidote. We don't have much time. Maybe three days before the castle is consumed. After that, we have nothing we can do to prevent the entire realm from being swallowed."

"We need Ludo." Didymus said. "His powers will be useful." He looked towards Hoggle. "Where would Jareth have run while losing his memories?" Then he realized how stupid that question was as he and Hoggle answered the question in unison.

"My Lady."

"Sarah."

Didymus pondered this. "This might save us. Under her influence, he's certain to regain memories of this place." He nodded, scurrying down the wall and mounting his steed. "Then we find our lumbering friend, whip up the antidote, and find our King."

Hoggle nodded, relieved that he didn't have to fight the small dog too hard. He just hoped they could find Sarah, who was no longer the young dreaming girl she'd once been.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Dust filled his lungs and he coughed, trying to get a clear breath. "Sarah..." He managed to gasp. He could hear the shrill sound of sirens, and forced his eyes open. The girl was leaning over him, her face pale, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. There were tears in her eyes. The sweet scent of peaches filled the air around them, and he realized what that scent meant. She was using magic. He noticed that there were several still bodies lying around them, all encased within the bubble she was holding.

He suddenly realized that they were the buildings tenants and manager. Some were crying, others were holding injured relatives obviously hadn't been able to gather towards her in time. The weight of what happened stunned him. That untrained body housed magic, magic she was channeling through instinct. The drain on her physical body was actually painful for him to see.

Blood trickled down her lips, and her brow was creased, as though her body truly were what was supporting the heavy weight of drywall, steel beams, appliances and furniture. Many of the other tenants who realized the reason they survived was standing there, pale, sweating were crying, reaching towards her, trying to touch her. He intercepted them, holding them back. The slightest contact from any non-magic human might cause her to lose concentration and the weight would collapse on them.

She opened her eyes and saw Jareth standing in front of her, his eyes on her, concerned, but unlike some of her neighbors, no fear. She feared herself. Why was this happening?! She felt his hand touch hers and the scent of Ozone, thunderstorms mixed with the almost sickening smell of peaches. It softened it, strengthened it. The strain on her body eased and she realized he was supporting her with his own magic.

They stood there for more than an hour, Jareth within the distance of touch, should she dare to raise her hand, but she couldn't. It was taking too much concentration, physical strain to hold the magic from lashing out at her from her uncontrolled grasp at it. She knew she was going to be in sorry shape when it was over.

Suddenly, the rocks were cleared above them, and faces were visible in the dark air above them. They reached for her, she shook her head. "Help the others first!" She demanded, and Jareth started leading them to the hole above her.

Jareth looked towards her in worry. Despite her strength of will, her body wouldn't tolerate this mistreatment much longer. Yet, he did as she ordered, helping her fellow tenants get out of the rubble, watching her grow more and more pale, and watching as the blood began dripping faster from her nose, then her mouth, her ears. It broke his heart, but every time he tried to get her out, she'd demand the others were taken out first. He wanted to rage, swear, but instead, he did as she asked.

The last one left, and he reached for her, grabbing her as the men reached down for them. Just as he caught their hands, blood exploded from her nose and mouth. He swore, holding her close to his chest as they were pulled from the collapsing rubble. He bit his lip as hard as he could, trying not to start swearing, damning her for not listening to him. He could have supported the rubble, but she was his main concern! He couldn't lose her! Not now!

The paramedics pulled Sarah from his arms and he followed them, ignoring the one that was trying to help him. "Leave me alone and help her!" He snarled, climbing into the ambulance, despite the objections of the other paramedics. He glared at them in such a way they actually winced and told him to just stay out of the way.

He took her hand gently, watching them fit a mask over her mouth which forced air into her lungs and bit his lip so hard he felt blood fill his mouth. Rather than swearing, he stroked her hand gently. "You did well, darling." He said softly. "You did well."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Robert Williams was just sitting down to dinner when the phone rang in a shrill manner. He sighed, about to stand, but dropped back into his seat when Karen gave him a look that would singe hair. That look, however, did not stop their thirteen year old son from getting out of his seat and wandering over to the phone. He saw the look that spelled murder on the face of his mother and winced.

"Williams residence." Toby said, tossing a carrot into his mouth and blinking, his eyes widening. "J-Just a second..." He put his hand over the phone, looking at his parents. "Uh, Mom, I know you hate phone use during dinner, but...it's St. Mary's Hospital downtown..." He saw her mother sigh and she waved her hand in frustration.

"What is it?!" She snapped, standing and storming toward the phone, lifting it and holding it to her ear. "Hello, this is Karen Williams." She snapped. Then her face went pale and she sank into the nearest chair. "You mean SARAH?!" She cried in shock.

That had everyone's undivided attention. Dinner was forgotten. She trembled, her hand resting against her chest. "Alright, thank you. Yes, we'll be there soon..." She hung up the phone, and was silent for a long moment before lifting her face, her eyes misted with tears. "Sarah's apartment collapsed. Mostly there were minor injuries, but Sarah..." She began sobbing, unable to maintain the illusion of strength. "Sarah's in critical condition!"

Robert stood, moving towards his wife and looked towards his pale, shaking son. They needed him to be strong, not weak. He took a deep breath. "Toby, go get your shoes on, get your mothers jacket and shoes. Get the keys and start the car. We'll be out in a moment."

Toby nodded, and Robert felt a surge of pride that his son moved without objection, bringing his mothers jacket and shoes, then he disappeared, and he could hear the sound of the car being cranked as he helped his wife into her coat and shoes, then he slipped himself into his own, herding the woman to the passengers seat, relieved when Toby helped her buckle, since her eyes were still so clouded by tears that she couldn't see what she was doing.

Robert climbed into the drivers seat and took a deep breath, feeling that illusion of strength shaking hard. All he had to do was make sure they got to the hospital. He could fall apart then. For now, his family needed him to be strong. Sarah needed him to be strong.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jareth paced the corridor, trying to maintain the illusion of patience, of strength. Sarah had been rushed into surgery as soon as they arrived and all he could do was wait. His shirt had been replaced by one of the nurses with a scrub top, since his shirt had been essentially destroyed by the rubble as Sarah's bubble shield had failed. He wanted to help her, wished desperately that his magic could do something to save her, but it could not be so, nowhere in him was healing magic.

That wasn't what his magic was for.

There were the sounds of running footsteps and he turned finding a man with Sarah's same dark hair and a similar enough face, Jareth knew he was looking at her father. He wanted to snarl at him.

"This is where they said she was..." The man helped his trembling wife sink into a chair and Jareth noticed that the woman's eyes were very red. "Toby, stay with your mother, I'm going to try to find out more of what happened."

"If it's knowledge you seek, I may be of assistance." Jareth said, his voice cool. Three pairs of eyes rose to him, two pair that were blue, one pair of brown. Not Sarah's eyes. Those eyes she must have gotten from her birth mother. "You are Sarah's family, correct?"

The man swallowed hard, afraid of the knowledge, yet needing it. "I'm her father...You're..."

Jareth considered that. "My name is Jareth." He saw a flash of recognition in Toby's eyes and the boy spoke before he could finish.

"You're Sarah's friend." He said, smiling, although there was something Jareth couldn't decipher in those young eyes.

He decided to concede with the boy's assumption. "Quite so. I was...staying with Sarah while she helped me with something. The building began to shake, and after it stopped, there was a loud groan." Jareth felt a grim pleasure in the paleness of Robert and Karen's face. How should he explain what happened next. "When I woke, the building had fallen in such a way that there was a good sized space, and Sarah was pulling people into the space. The paramedics arrived not long after, and began pulling people out. Sarah insisted they get everyone else. After everyone else had been rescued, I grabbed her and as the paramedics pulled us out, the building gave."

The PG, non-believing friendly version. Something they could understand, which would explain away the injuries. He saw tears shimmering in Roberts eyes and looked away. As he did, he saw suspicion in Toby's eyes and wondered exactly what the boy knew.

Robert sank into a chair, blinking away those tears. "Oh, god, Sarah..." He held Karen's hand tightly. He looked back at Jareth, his body shaking. "You saved my daughter's life." He whispered.

Jareth shrugged, looking down the hall. He didn't want the man's gratitude. He wanted to strangle the man for the pain he caused Sarah. He saw two blue eyes in his field of vision and looked at Toby.

"I remember you." Toby said quietly, while Karen and Robert comforted each other. "Sarah used to tell me stories about Labyrinth. Why are you here?"

Jareth closed his eyes. "I don't know." He said quietly. As with Sarah, there was a swimming feeling of familiar with this boy. He remembered Sarah's words once again.

_My brother or my dreams._

Realization swept through him. This was her brother. The brother he'd taken. Another word rang through him, grabbed his thoughts. His heir. He took a shuddering breath and memories began pouring through him. Laughing, dancing with the boy. The boy's quick move from human to non-human. He wondered if the parents even noticed the faint slant of the brows, those marks that made him not-quite-human anymore.

Sarah would have noticed, but she never would have said anything. She was too smart, too clever. His head was starting to ache. He rested a hand on Toby's head and noticed the boy had the same effect as Sarah. The ability to pull his memories up, to ease the pain of doing so, to hold the memories in his mind, until it was there firmly.

"Is there anything you can do to help her?" Toby asked quietly, looking up at the sign that read: Surgery in Progress. Those blue eyes looked towards him and Jareth smiled sadly, bitterly.

"I'm afraid, Toby, that this rests on her own strength. My abilities are not for healing, and I have no training to use them as such. Forcing yourself to do things you are not trained for are very harmful towards your body." He explained. He saw understanding on Toby's face.

Toby absorbed that information, nodding silently. "Is that what happened to Sarah?"

Jareth looked towards him in surprise. He shouldn't have been. Sarah had been a very sharp young lady, and evidentially her brother was an equally sharp young man. "Yes, Toby." He kept his voice very low. "She cast a shield, held it until her body wouldn't allow her to hold it any longer. I supported her the best I could with my own magic, but I can't heal her."

Toby lowered his eyes. Then, they snapped open. "I might be able to help her."

Jareth caught his arm, glancing back at Robert and Karen, still too wrapped up in their own grief to notice their discussion. "Boy, did you not just hear what I said. If you're not trained in this kind of magic-"

"Who said I wasn't trained." Arrogance shone from thirteen year old eyes. Arrogance he recognized from himself. Ah, he'd chosen well. "I noticed when I was young. I had powers that others thought weren't normal, I could do things that others couldn't. I'd fall, get a bad scrape, and I could make it heal. It was simple enough."

The Goblin King closed his eyes. This foolish child had been dabbling in magics. "Toby, if you wish to learn magic, I will be certain I teach you, but healing little cuts and scrapes and healing massive internal injuries are quite different. You need a thorough knowledge of the physiology of humans, and you need to have an intrinsic understanding of how the body heals itself. Only the best Goblin Healers would be allowed to heal someone in her condition. Let the doctors do what they can. After that, we'll see if there is anything you can do."

Toby's face fell. "I just want to help her..." He said quietly.

Jareth rested a hand on Toby's head, understanding. "So do I, child, so do I. However, Sarah would not want you to sacrifice your own health for her. It would tear her apart. Just wait. Let her do what she can within herself, and if she's still not getting better, we'll see if there is anything we can do to help her."

Toby looked up at Jareth and nodded in solemn acceptance.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sarah stood in the Labyrinth, looking around. Behind her was a wall of darkness, before her were the long, twisting walls of the maze. She glanced at her feet, frowning faintly, noticed the crumbling appearance of the ground, as though it were starving. She knelt, resting her hand on it, understanding that something was deeply wrong. It was being consumed. Destroyed.

It felt so brittle to the touch, as though too much pressure would cause it to crumble. But the darkness wasn't moving forward. She turned, seeing the castle in the distance. She frowned, climbing the wall and looking around. She could view the East and West edges of the extensive maze. Far in the distance, she could see the Southern end. Towards that end she could see the spires of Jareth's castle crumbling.

Hoggle, Sir Didymus and Ludo running, trying to stop the encroaching darkness. She moved without needing to climb down from the wall, floating on the air. What was wrong with the Labyrinth? Why was it being consumed? Why was the darkness swallowing it? She turned and saw someone ethereal, wearing robes of silver, of starlight. Where Jareth was warmth and say, this woman was a cold, moonless night. The looked at the woman, the woman looked at her. "Why is the Labyrinth dying?"

The woman smiled coldly, holding up a crystal. "Because Jareth is weak. His love of a foolish human girl weakened him until he was so blind he didn't even check his morning tea for possible poisons. Memory Root is a strong substance, you foolish child." A cold, cruel laugh. "Had he simply taken my offer, the Labyrinth would have been spared, but instead he went running to his young love, sacrificing his kingdom, his people, for you."

Sarah felt her heart tremble. "So his memories of the Labyrinth are what sustained the Labyrinth..." She lifted her gaze, furious. "You're the one that brought this upon them!"

"Don't be a fool. I have been telling Jareth for years to forget you." She snarled. "He simply refused to. You haunted his dreams...You ran to him, and when I tried to take you out of the picture, he batted me away with his power. You don't deserve that man! I've loved him for centuries, and he was almost mine thirteen years ago! Before you spoiled everything! So die! Die and give Jareth the life he deserves!"

That power, scented with the smell of the wetlands whirled around her and she closed her eyes, not willing to die. She opened them and held a hand out, spoke an unfamiliar word and sent the magic back to the woman with force equal to what she sent out. She stood there for a long moment. "I love Jareth." Sarah said softly, looking towards the other woman, tears in her eyes. He never really forgot her. It took being drugged for him to forget. Even without his memories, his heart, his body remembered what his mind forgot. He still loved her. "I love him and I wont give him up to the likes of you!"

And Sarah unleashed her rage.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hoggle and Sir Didymus looked up, stunned when the strong scent of peaches filled the air and a wind whipped through the air, shaking the Labyrinth at it's foundation. The pair scrambled up a wall, looking towards the swirling darkness and stared. The darkness had fully halted.

Aboveground, the scent filled the air and caused panic to surge through Jareth and he rushed towards the door her surgery was being held in. As he pushed through the door, nurses and doctors trying to halt him, he saw Sarah take a final, shuddering breath and go limp on the table.

The beep of the heart monitor was long and steady. "No..." He whispered, his heart shredding in his chest. He felt the others bump into him from behind and ground his teeth together. "NO!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_AN: Ah, ah, ah. That's all for now. Really, all things considered, Sarah's had a really lousy day, huh. Lost her job. Lost her home. Landed in the hospital. Now this. Anyways, if anyone wants to know what happens next, you should leave me a little note. I could probably hold out on this one for days XD. LOL I'm not that evil. As usual, Comments are welcome, C&C is wonderful. Love, peace, and Goblin Kings!_


	4. Chapter 3: Whole:Hole

_AN: So, I've seen eight million of these where Sarah forgets her memories of Labyrinth (which sometimes I have trouble seeing, unless it's due to some kinda trauma/brainwashing. You have to admit, it's kinda an unforgettable thing to go through...), but there are absolutely ZERO where Jareth loses HIS memories of what happened. Don't worry, it's still SarahxJareth. I'm not going to Mary Sue up my favorite fantasy movie of all time. _

_Disclaimer: Labyrinth is sole property of the Jim Henson Company, not me. I'm borrowing all the goblins and such, as well as the Goblin King for an undisclosed amount of time. I'll be returning him soon enough._

Unforgettable

By: DemonSaya

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hoggle and Sir Didymus looked up, stunned when the strong scent of peaches filled the air and a wind whipped through the air, shaking the Labyrinth at it's foundation. The pair scrambled up a wall, looking towards the swirling darkness and stared. The darkness had fully halted.

Aboveground, the scent filled the air and caused panic to surge through Jareth and he rushed towards the door her surgery was being held in. As he pushed through the door, nurses and doctors trying to halt him, he saw Sarah take a final, shuddering breath and go limp on the table.

The beep of the heart monitor was long and steady. "No..." He whispered, his heart shredding in his chest. He felt the others bump into him from behind and ground his teeth together. "NO!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Chapter 3

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Whole/Hole

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Mithryl winced, holding her arm as she moved into her throne room. Blood poured between her fingers, but she simply ignored the worried glances of her healers. Good. She'd taunted the fool bitch to use her magic again. She laughed faintly, only to moan in pain. God, everything hurt. Why was she so strong?! Growing up in the human realm, she couldn't have been trained in magic and it's use, so WHY could she hurt her? Mithryl, Queen of the Marshlands had been injured.

She, who thought herself better than so many, did not notice her subjects whispered speculation, and the few who had seen the one who had struck Mythril were suggesting that the Queens present obsession, the one that was now over one hundred years old, was falling, her powers weakening.

After all, she'd been nearly destroyed by a single human girl.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ludo looked up when Hoggle came towards him, followed by Sir Didymus, his face very pale. Ludo lumbered towards them. "Fwiend?" Ludo asked, touching Hoggle's shoulder.

Hoggle lifted his eyes. "Ludo, can you reach Sarah still?"

Ludo smiled in an unintelligent manner and waved for them to follow them. They watched as he moved through the piles of garbage, stopping in front of a door. Hoggle held his breath and opened the door. He recognized the room well enough. It was a mirror image of Sarah's. Except the mirror that was usually where they could contact her was broken, from Sarah's escape, the return of her memories, while she fought her way through the Labyrinth.

In those cracked shards of mirrored glass, Hoggle felt horror rush through him.

Sarah, laying on a table, pale, covered in blood. The faint scent of peaches still hung in the air. "Oh, god..." Hoggle whispered, tearing his eyes away from her still form.

Sir Didymus whipped off his hat, tears filling his already watery eyes. "My lady..."

"Sawah fwiend..." Ludo began bawling, his noise calling boulders.

Hoggle moved closer to the scene in the mirror and saw was there, pale, having fallen. The scene was oddly still, and suddenly, Hoggle realized why. Time was frozen. In all his years of life, he'd only known one person with control over time, with the ability to stop it for more than just a moment. Jareth could re-order time, true enough, but it was an inherited power, one that paled in comparison to that of his mother's. The Lady Elspeth.

That knowledge made him breath easier.

"What do we do, Hoggle? Sarah was our only hope at returning Jareth's memories!" Sir Didymus cried, moving towards the suddenly silent dwarf. He could no longer look at the scene of a dear friend, lying there in death. Hoggle, however stared at it through assessing eyes.

"Didymus, I suggest ya get to work on that antidote." Hoggle said quietly. "Because I think someone has bought us some time." When Didymus didn't move, he grabbed his shirt, giving him a quick shake. "Damn ya, fool! Get to work! I'll keep watch...Just hurry. I don't know how long we'll have enough time to get this done!"

Didymus nodded slowly, pulling a deep basin from a garbage heap and setting up to begin the potion.

Ludo moved to sit next to Hoggle, resting a heavy hand on the dwarf's shoulder. Hoggle took a steadying breath. "Don't worry, Ludo. It'll be alright. We just have to believe in that." He patted the lumbering creatures hand and kept his eyes trained on the still scene in the mirror.

Until it's proven otherwise, they had no choice.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Why was it so bright here? She trembled in fatigue, staring into the bright white light. She felt cold, alone. But at least the pain was gone. She looked around, standing slowly, looking around. She shivered, rubbing her arms. "Where am I?" She wondered aloud. Her voice echoed.

She spun in a circle, trying to determine her location. It was so bright. The last thing she could remember was rage, so hot it burned through her soul, she could remember the scent of peaches, then nothing. She frowned, resting a hand against her chest. She could barely feel the beat of her heart. "Am I dead?"

"Do you wish it?"

She blinked, turning towards the voice. A woman stood there, tall, slender, long, platinum blond hair and bright blue eyes. That same blue as Jareth's one blue eye. High cheekbones, a lovely gown, a gown fit for a Queen. Sarah suddenly realized who she was seeing. "You're Jareth's mother." She said, in realization.

A faint smile. "In his soul, yes. Not by birth." She moved forward. "My name is Elspeth."

"What happened to me?" Sarah asked, turning around, looking around the room.

Elspeth closed her eyes in pain. "You saved Jareth, at great cost. Magic channeled through an untrained body is very dangerous. Twice, in rapid succession, you channeled through that magic. You would have survived, been able to be trained if not for that second release."

She fell to her knees, eyes wide. "Then...I _am_ dead?" She felt tears pierce her eyes. "And Jareth?! Is Jareth okay?!"

The woman pursed her lips, pondering the answer. "No, Sarah, he is not. He is preparing to do something foolish and reckless. I stopped time, stopped him from sacrificing himself to save you." She saw pain in the girls eyes and offered her hands. "The Goblin Kings magic is not made to heal. That ability resides inside you. But he will try to heal you, and he will. To save you."

"NO!" Sarah objected. "Jareth can't die! If he dies, the Labyrinth will die with him!"

The woman smiled sadly. "No, Sarah, it wont. The strong, fond memories of two people have been fighting the darkness tooth and nail. One is the girl who conquered the Labyrinth, it's mistress, recognized by it's walls as it's Queen. The other is Jareth's heir." She saw the confusion on Sarah's face and smiled. "Your brother, my dear."

"TOBY?!" Sarah gasped. "But..." She shook her head, unable to reconcile the facts with her own knowledge. Then, she realized something and her eyes widened. "He has a Fae face...his eyes..." She blinked. "But Jareth said he was going to make him a Goblin..." She lowered her eyes, trying to understand. Then they flashed wide once again. That meant that it wasn't actually the last desperate move in a game. He wanted Sarah and Toby to stay. She felt tears pierce her eyes. "He really did love me, didn't he..." She whispered, lowering her head in shame.

Elspeth smiled faintly. "Yes, child. When his memories were fading, he threw out a wish so desperate, so potent, the Labyrinth's magic granted it. His wish was to be with you."

Tears were falling down her face. "Jareth..." She whispered.

"Do you wish to die? I can stop Jareth from attempting to use his magic, and you can simply die, or you can make another choice."

Sarah lifted her face. "What's the choice?" She asked softly.

The woman smiled. "It should be familiar. Your world, your family, or Jareth. As you've pointed out, the Labyrinth needs it's King. Without Jareth, the Labyrinth and it's occupants will die."

Sarah closed her eyes. When she opened them, there was a pained smile on her face. "Then my wish is for Jareth to live happily for a very, very long time."

The woman's eyes softened and she reached for Sarah's hands. "Then take my hands, Sarah."

Sarah set her hands in Elspeth's and the bright white light grew brighter still.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Jareth fell to his knees, feeling tears pierce his eyes as the doctors declared time of death. He covered his mouth, swearing silently at them, himself, the world. Why? Why had she so foolishly unleashed her power again? What had made her do this? He couldn't lose her, he wouldn't survive the pain of the loss a second time. He moved towards her, making a choice. No, he wouldn't lose her, even at the cost of himself. He had an heir. If he could save her, it would be fine. Just to see those jade green eyes one more time. "Sarah..." He rasped, creeping towards her, pulling up his magic, knowing if he did this, he would die.

It didn't matter.

All that mattered was her.

His life was over without her, regardless.

He was just about to touch her, give his magic to her, heal her, when suddenly, the steady beep broke and began beeping steadily once again. He restrained his magic, pulling it back, putting his hands on her face. "Sarah..." He whispered desperately. "Darling, please, don't die..." He begged. "Wake up, you wonderfully brave, foolish thing...you precious thing..." He squeezed his eyes shut. "Don't leave me alone again..." He begged.

He felt the doctors pulling him away, moving to check her, the notes being scratched out, rewritten. He strained towards her, needing to touch her, needing to see that she truly was alright. Just as he was shoved from the room and the door closed in his face, he saw her hand flex and he fell to his knees outside the room. With a desperate laugh, he dug his hands into his hair. She was alive. He knew there were tears on his face, but couldn't find it in himself to care.

She was alive.

Toby walked towards the man, saw him shaking with laughter and tears and smiled slightly, looking at his mother and father, who'd paled when the man burst into the room in a panic. "Sarah's okay." He explained. He saw them look at him in confusion and he simply walked over to Jareth, smiling broadly. He leaned over him and gave him a warm smile. "Right?"

Jareth didn't look up. He simply nodded.

Not much later, a doctor came out, pulling off his mask, looking relieved. He moved towards Jareth, smiling faintly. "Your girlfriend is fine. We were worried for a moment. You should not burst into a surgery like that, you gave the nurses quite a fright."

Robert and Karen looked at Jareth, who was not looking at them. He simply stared at the doctor. Something had happened within that girl, something that had nothing to do the physicians in that room.

The doctor then looked at the parents. "She's being moved to the third floor, for long term care. We're going to run some tests, make sure she really is out of trouble, and when she's back to normal, we'll release her into your care." He looked towards Jareth, his eyes smiling. "She's asking for you, I can take you the quick way if you'd like."

Robert opened his mouth to object, but Jareth simply held up his hand. "If you show me and not her family, I'm certain there will be issues that I'd rather not have to deal with later." He said calmly. "I'll walk up with them." He saw surprise on her father's face."

Toby smiled broadly, taking Jareth's hand and dragging him along. "Mom, Dad, come on!" He called over his shoulder. They entered the elevator before Karen and Robert and Toby looked at Jareth with a knowing smirk.

Jareth arched an eyebrow at the boy, an almost identical smirk on his face. Karen and Robert joined them, noting the almost eerily similar expressions, and the way the boy held Jareth's hand in a trusting manner. They wondered what exactly Sarah had told Toby that she didn't consider important enough to share with her own parents.

They rode the elevator down the stairs, and reached the room as the nurses were hooking Sarah up to another machine, smiling patiently, listening to her objecting to all these machines and tubes. Jareth saw the color had returned to her lovely face and hung back as the others pushed their way into the room. He didn't bother trying to stop the surge of superiority when she looked at them in disappointment.

"Sarah, you're alive!" Her father finally crumbled, holding her hand and crying. "We were so worried."

Karen sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a hankie. "Oh, Sarah..."

Finally, he decided, enough was enough. He stepped into the room, looking at her with that arrogant smirk. "Welcome back, darling." He teased lightly. He saw that there was something he couldn't name in her eyes, but it was akin to fear. His eyes narrowed and brow creased. "What's wrong?"

She looked around at the other's desperately. The nurses simply moved around, doing their duties and she wanted to swear soundly. She saw Toby and her breath caught. His eyes were as sharp as Jareth's catching her distress. She heard her step-mother and father voicing their concern and squeezed her eyes shut. Dammit, why couldn't they just shut up for a second?!

Jareth saw she didn't want to speak in front of her parents and looked sharply at Toby, who nodded.

"Hey, why don't we leave the lovebirds alone?" Toby suggested, grinning when his sister blushed darkly. He ignored her stammered objections, leading his parents to the door. The nurses were on their way out, due to some swiftly planted ideas from Jareth.

Once the room was empty, save them, Sarah grabbed Jareth desperately. "Jareth, it's dying." She gasped, her voice a painful rasp. "You have to go back. The Labyrinth is being consumed by darkness, and it's because your memories are gone." She saw his eyes widen and then narrow.

"I wont leave you." He snarled in frustration. "You wont chase me away simply because-"

"Damn you, stubborn thing!" She sat, grabbing his face, pulling him so that all he could see were her eyes and looked deep in his eyes. "Your memories were stolen from you! It's _killing_ the Labyrinth. And everyone in it. After the castle is consumed, the rest of the Underground will follow!" She searched his face, seeing the stubborn set to his jaw, the frustration in his eyes.

"I lost you once, nearly twice, I will_ not_ let you go again!" He nearly yelled at her.

She felt her frustration grip her and closed her eyes, counting to ten. "I'm not asking you to." She said quietly, lifting her gaze to look at him. There was a surprised confusion in his eyes. "I'm healed, Jareth. In my...near death, I met a woman called Elspeth. She taught me what I needed to do. My body is as good as it can get, but if we wait until the hospital releases me, it will be too late." She saw the door open and shut and Toby appeared. "We have to go, Jareth..."

"You're going back too." Toby said, knowingly. Those bright blue eyes were sad, but understanding. He looked down, upset. Why could she get away from here, but he couldn't?

Jareth looked at her in surprise as she nodded at her brother. "Sarah..."

"I have to. I had to make a choice, Toby." She explained, smiling at him knowingly. "I'll need your help. The only way I know to contact those in the Labyrinth is my mirror. Is it still where I left it?"

He smiled. "Karen tried to throw it out. I threw a fit until she caved. Sometimes I can see the Labyrinth reflected in the surface. Sometimes I see your friends, but they can't hear me. Sometimes I saw him." He pointed at Jareth. "So I guess I'll see you, too. Even if you're gone." He mumbled the last part, unable to look at him.

Sarah felt tears in her eyes and she smiled at her brother, nodding. "All you have to do is call me when you need me."

Toby nodded. "I'll unlock the door tonight after Mom and Dad go to bed." He headed towards the door, pausing to look up at the very stunned Jareth. "You'd better take care of her." He said quietly, then headed out the door.

Jareth stepped uncertainly towards her, seeing tears in her eyes. "Sarah...?" He extended his hand.

She took the hand that was reaching towards her. "Let's go back together." She said softly, smiling up at him, opening her heart to him. "Let's go back to the Underground, let's go back to the Labyrinth, to your Castle."

He sat on the edge of her bed, cupping her face. "Is this truly what you want? This has always been your home, and this is where your family is. You truly want to let this go?" He searched her eyes, seeing no indecision, no fear. Nothing but firm resolve.

She forced herself into a sitting position, looking at him; her lips parted, allowing a sigh to escape her. "Jareth, that was the choice. The Labyrinth needs you. You can't stay here. And I can't live without you." She gave him a gentle whack on the back of his head. "Really, do you still think I'll make the same decision I made as a child, knowing what I know now?"

He inclined his head in interest. "And what is this new knowledge you possess, my dear?"

She soothed the place she'd struck with a gentle hand. "That you truly love me. Enough to sacrifice yourself to save me. You fool. You could have killed yourself..." She shook her head, pained. "Jareth, you idiot. I love you. I always did-"

He lunged forward, claiming her mouth in a desperate kiss. He'd heard enough. He cupped her face, threaded his hand in her hair, held her close. He released her lips after a moment, his breaths ragged. His head hurt. His memories were pounding against his skull, fighting to be released. It was so painful, but he didn't care. Let them destroy him. He had this one moment of true joy in an otherwise empty life.

She cupped his face. "We'll go back together, we'll save the Labyrinth. And I'll stay at your side. Forever if that's your wish."

He laughed joyously. "My dear, Forever is not long at all."

"Then let it be longer." She said, smiling.

He pressed his nose against her neck, breathing in that faint scent of peaches off her skin. "You precious thing."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Karen and Robert left around nine, deeply unnerved by their daughter's quiet suitor. Between the hair and those pants, Karen was quite certain he was not the kind of man their daughter should be with. Toby was ignoring their incessant questions and after several, he simply looked at them in disgust and finally spoke. "What bothers you the most? That he isn't suitable to you, or that Jareth is perfect for her?" Toby stormed into the house and slammed his bedroom door in a fit of teenage temper.

Robert walked upstairs and opened the door, looking at Toby in concern. "You really think he's suitable for your sister? He's arrogant, self-centered, and-"

"He loves her." Toby said quietly. "Would you prefer she was with someone calm and reserved, who didn't? Just because he might be able to make the bills? Making the bills is over-rated. What matters to me is that he loves her and she's happier with him than when she was living here." He turned his back on his father, looking into the mirror, knowing his father couldn't see what he could. After a moment, he heard his father sigh, and Robert quietly closed the door.

When it was shut, Toby rested his hands on the mirror, concentrating. Something Jareth had taken the moment to teach him before they'd left the hospital. He tapped that strange, warm, fresh-cut grass scented power inside him and closed his eyes. "Hoggle." He called softly.

When he opened his eyes, he saw blue eyes staring back at him, wide-eyed. Toby smiled brightly, waving. "Hi. I'm Toby."

Understanding filled Hoggle's eyes. "Is Sarah alright?"

"She's okay. Jareth and Sarah will be on their way here soon." He glanced towards the clock, seeing the hand nearing midnight. Only a half-hour left. He looked up at the dwarf. "Sarah told me a lot about you and the others." He said, smiling.

"She told me a great deal about you as well..." Hoggle said, arching an eyebrow. "Why is Jareth bringing Sarah when she's in such bad shape? She shouldn't be moved. She was nearly dead-"

"Not nearly." Toby said solemnly. "She flat-lined on the table. From what Jareth told me, she's got power. Like Jareth's, but different. Someone called Elspeth helped show her how to use it without hurting herself and she healed her body."

Shock showed on the dwarf's face. Then what could only be called cool calm. "Elspeth showed her to use Magic."

The boy shrugged. "I don't know the details, just what they told me, and I'm sure there's a lot neither of them really know for certain. But I know this, Sarah decided to stay. And..." Toby lowered his gaze, pulling out a pen and paper. "I want to, too."

"This isn't no playground, Kid."

"I know." Toby looked miserably towards his window. "But neither is this. I'm being shoved down a path I don't want. Just like Sarah. She's been miserable since they made her leave, made her get a job that would pay her bills but not let her actually live...I don't want that life."

"What are they making you do?"

His lips turned into a twisted frown. "Computer programming. I like computers, and I'm good with them, but I hate that crap. For gods sake..."

His door opened. "Toby?"

He turned, finding Sarah and Jareth standing there. Sarah was still in her hospital gown. He stood, moving towards the closet. He found her old poet's shirt, and some jeans and handed them to her. "Go change. Maybe they're not fit for a Queen, but mom threw out all your old costumes."

Sarah saw Hoggle in the mirror as she took the clothes. "Hoggle!" She ran towards him, her eyes bright with happiness. "Is everyone okay? Is the Labyrinth okay?!"

"The darkness stopped swallowing it, last time I checked, but...there's still not much time left. Time moves different here, ya know..."

Jareth spotted the bag near the dwarf and the crystals in it. "I know something you can do to slow the progress further. Those crystals. One at each castle entrance. They must be held by someone who has strong memories of the place..." He eyed the others. He inclined his head in consideration. "Four would be best, but since there are only three, I suppose there is nothing else that can be done. We'll be coming from the North, so go to the other three entrances."

"I can hold the fourth." Toby offered, meekly, after Sarah had left the room to change. He was pinned by Jareth's sharp gaze. "Please, let me come along." He begged quietly.

Jareth frowned. "Let me discuss it with your sister."

Then, he left the room.

Toby penned a quick note to his parents and drug a hand through his hair, praying that his sister would agree. When they reentered the room, he saw a serious expression on Sarah's face. "Toby..." She said, approaching him, kneeling beside him. "You know you couldn't see Mom or Dad anymore, right? You couldn't live here and just travel back and forth?"

He nodded, his face equally serious. "Sarah, I'm not happy here. They're pushing me just like they did you. I don't want this. I want to be allowed to make my own decisions about something. Even this. And I can help you. You need one more person. I can hold the fourth gate."

She touched her brother's brow gently and kissed him on his forehead. "Toby, if you really want it, then yes, by all means, come with us."

He smiled brightly at her.

Jareth stripped off the shirt that he'd been given at the hospital, taking one Sarah had kidnapped that belonged to her father, which had been resting on a pile of neatly folded clothes. "Alright, Hoggle, you know what to do. We'll be there as soon as possible. If you have to sacrifice the Labyrinth, even the town, do it. I should be able to get them back. Just hold the castle."

Hoggle nodded, and the mirror returned to being just that, a mirror.

Jareth extended his had towards both Sarah and Toby. "Your memories will be what draw us through the mirror. Mine are still too weak to bring me back, so be sure not to let go of my hand." And with a deep breath, they stepped through the mirror.

Moments later, Robert burst into the room, finding it empty, and a note on the desk. He moved towards it, lifted it in his hand.

_Dad,_

_Sorry, I just can't be what you and mom want me to be. It's not who I am. Just like Sarah wasn't meant for the mold you pushed her into. I made a choice. I want to live with Sarah and Jareth. Don't bother trying to find me. When I'm ready, I'll contact you. It might not be how you expect, or when, but I'll send word. I love you, dad, and tell mom I love her too. Sorry._

_Toby_

Robert sank into the chair, closing his eyes in pain. The hospital called and said that during rounds, Sarah's room was empty, and no one could find her in the hospital. In under an hour, he'd lost both of his children, because his concern for their welfare, had led to them feeling so smothered, that they felt the need to flee. He covered his face and tried to wipe the grief from his mind. "I'm sorry, Toby...Sarah...I'm so sorry..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_AN: Another chapter gone. This was actually originally longer, but I'm fixing the ending a lot. I'm simply not happy with it. Well, not happy with ALL of it...anyways, per usual, let me know what you thing. I'll see about getting the next chapter up soon._


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